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Crone
Not yet published
Expected 22 Sep 26A haunting, fearsome story of a father searching for his missing daughter and finding darkness—both human and not—at every turn, from the author of the “exciting, suspenseful, horrifying” (Stephen King) Fever House
Eli Lamp is a broken man. An ex-detective, ex-addict, and long-grieving father whose daughter, Hannah, disappeared a decade before, Eli decimated his old life investigating her abduction and is now indebted to the Crooked Wheel, a local drug gang, as an enforcer. He lives in a rundown trailer at the edge of the woods, where he keeps Hannah’s room in pristine condition and tries to make it through one day at a time.
But when the son of the Crooked Wheel’s boss is found viciously murdered in a crime scene that doesn’t seem to add up, Eli receives a new order: Find out who the killer is and your debt to the Wheel is clear forever. You’re free. This pursuit brings him into the orbit of Avery Bryant, Hannah’s best friend and the last person to see her before she went missing. Soon, Eli and Avery are entwined in a hunt for answers that spans decades, stretches the realm of possibility, and brings churning to the surface a conspiracy linking not only these current tragedies, but the buried sorrows of Eli’s past.
And though none of them dare say the word "witch," at least not out loud, something lurks in the woods, bent-backed and black-eyed, clawed and vengeful, looming ever closer. . . .
Eli Lamp is a broken man. An ex-detective, ex-addict, and long-grieving father whose daughter, Hannah, disappeared a decade before, Eli decimated his old life investigating her abduction and is now indebted to the Crooked Wheel, a local drug gang, as an enforcer. He lives in a rundown trailer at the edge of the woods, where he keeps Hannah’s room in pristine condition and tries to make it through one day at a time.
But when the son of the Crooked Wheel’s boss is found viciously murdered in a crime scene that doesn’t seem to add up, Eli receives a new order: Find out who the killer is and your debt to the Wheel is clear forever. You’re free. This pursuit brings him into the orbit of Avery Bryant, Hannah’s best friend and the last person to see her before she went missing. Soon, Eli and Avery are entwined in a hunt for answers that spans decades, stretches the realm of possibility, and brings churning to the surface a conspiracy linking not only these current tragedies, but the buried sorrows of Eli’s past.
And though none of them dare say the word "witch," at least not out loud, something lurks in the woods, bent-backed and black-eyed, clawed and vengeful, looming ever closer. . . .
352 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication September 22, 2026
1148 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
March 16, 2026
HOLY 😱😱😱😱! That was a killer read! I’m emotionally wrecked inside. I’m speechless, so, just let me catch my breath a minute here.
😭😭😭😭😭
Oh, and guess what? You don’t really need a synopsis when it comes to this author. Nope. You just read it! If you loved Coffin Moon, it’s pretty much a guarantee that you’ll be obsessed with Crone!
Rosson has a style to his writing that has grit and a whole lot of heart. He allows the reader to feel a connection to his characters and gets you feeling all kinds of sh**!
Imagine part Sons of Anarchy, a creature feature, grief horror, and stir that up with some diabolical witchery. I was hooked from page one! I couldn’t get my eyes to read fast enough.
Crone is addictive and brutal while pulling at your heartstrings. I didn’t want it to end and neither will you! And let me clarify this is the third horror novel I’ve ever weeped over. 😭 Get ready folks, this stunner of a novel will hold you hostage.
5 GLORIOUS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Out 9/26
Thank you to Random House, NetGalley, and Keith Rosson for the gifted copy.
😭😭😭😭😭
Oh, and guess what? You don’t really need a synopsis when it comes to this author. Nope. You just read it! If you loved Coffin Moon, it’s pretty much a guarantee that you’ll be obsessed with Crone!
Rosson has a style to his writing that has grit and a whole lot of heart. He allows the reader to feel a connection to his characters and gets you feeling all kinds of sh**!
Imagine part Sons of Anarchy, a creature feature, grief horror, and stir that up with some diabolical witchery. I was hooked from page one! I couldn’t get my eyes to read fast enough.
Crone is addictive and brutal while pulling at your heartstrings. I didn’t want it to end and neither will you! And let me clarify this is the third horror novel I’ve ever weeped over. 😭 Get ready folks, this stunner of a novel will hold you hostage.
5 GLORIOUS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Out 9/26
Thank you to Random House, NetGalley, and Keith Rosson for the gifted copy.
Currently Reading
May 8, 2026I'm a happy girl. Thank you so, so much, Random House, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
This is one of my most anticipated reads of 2026 and I'm thrilled to have it!!!
This is one of my most anticipated reads of 2026 and I'm thrilled to have it!!!
March 16, 2026
5⭐️ I loved Keith Rosson’s last book Coffin Moon and was so excited to receive an arc of Crone! It is Amazing! Horror at its best!!! I was hooked right away and could not put it down! It’s fast paced, emotional, tragic, tense, creepy and gorey.
The story starts with the disappearance of 15 year old Hannah. Her drug addicted dad Eli a former cop, gets clean and dedicates himself to looking for her. After an incident with a motorcycle gang he becomes indebted to Dave Novak their leader.
Some creepy things begin to happen starting with the brutal murder of Dave’s son Anton.
Who is the supernatural force behind the murder? How far will Eli go after years pass to find Hannah? This story is dark and has some really bloody scenes, but it is a story of love and redemption and about as perfect of a horror story as I’ve read!
Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishers, and Keith Rosson for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
The story starts with the disappearance of 15 year old Hannah. Her drug addicted dad Eli a former cop, gets clean and dedicates himself to looking for her. After an incident with a motorcycle gang he becomes indebted to Dave Novak their leader.
Some creepy things begin to happen starting with the brutal murder of Dave’s son Anton.
Who is the supernatural force behind the murder? How far will Eli go after years pass to find Hannah? This story is dark and has some really bloody scenes, but it is a story of love and redemption and about as perfect of a horror story as I’ve read!
Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishers, and Keith Rosson for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
April 23, 2026
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my Advanced Reader’s Copy. This was one of my most anticipated reads this year and it did not disappoint. Brutal, gritty, terrifying, heartbreaking. It grabs you and won’t let you go. A must read in modern horror (and an instant read author for me). Don’t sleep on this one, coming 9/22/26.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 stars
✨✨✨Gritty crime + Horror✨✨✨
This is my second book by Keith Rosson and to be honest, I had a difficult time getting into this one. I was intrigued by the plot but at the same time some of it just felt a bit weighed down.
There was a lot going on with drug addiction and poverty which I found was written very well and engaging. However, it did seem like some of the plot really did drag. Don’t get me wrong, the writing is very well done and sets the atmosphere wonderfully. The portrayal of addiction seemed especially well done. It was all just a bit slow paced for me.
The meat of the story reads as gritty crime detective and closer towards the end of the book was when we really got to the Crone stuff. Which I loved, but just seemed very drawn out to get to that point. Also, I was expecting more witch horror than crime. The last like 1/3 was spectacular and that ending I LOVED!!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is expected to be released September 22, 2026.
✨✨✨Gritty crime + Horror✨✨✨
This is my second book by Keith Rosson and to be honest, I had a difficult time getting into this one. I was intrigued by the plot but at the same time some of it just felt a bit weighed down.
There was a lot going on with drug addiction and poverty which I found was written very well and engaging. However, it did seem like some of the plot really did drag. Don’t get me wrong, the writing is very well done and sets the atmosphere wonderfully. The portrayal of addiction seemed especially well done. It was all just a bit slow paced for me.
The meat of the story reads as gritty crime detective and closer towards the end of the book was when we really got to the Crone stuff. Which I loved, but just seemed very drawn out to get to that point. Also, I was expecting more witch horror than crime. The last like 1/3 was spectacular and that ending I LOVED!!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is expected to be released September 22, 2026.
Want to Read
March 7, 2026author of one of my favorite books last year: Coffin Moon!
super excited for this one! Pub date: 9/2026
super excited for this one! Pub date: 9/2026
April 14, 2026
A perfectly unsettling and disturbing read interweaving normal day to day life with the supernatural and it just working. More than working, it flowed and kept me hooked from start to finish. I wanted better for most of the characters and by reading this I feel like it gave them a voice when theirs had been stolen. Enchanting and disturbing in equal measure.
April 15, 2026
This is for the girls who have ✨daddy issues✨
Picture it.. missing teen, devastated dad, biker gangs, small town worthless cops, witchcraft, and a sprinkle of little details from the Rosson multiverse.
That’s it. That’s the review. Oh, and I cried.
Picture it.. missing teen, devastated dad, biker gangs, small town worthless cops, witchcraft, and a sprinkle of little details from the Rosson multiverse.
That’s it. That’s the review. Oh, and I cried.
April 22, 2026
Crone by Keith Rosson
Ok, here is another brillant novel by Keith Rosson. Crone is gritty crime novel in a rundown town full of criminals, corrupt cops and drug addicts. If this was all the story was about, it would still be a 5 star read. But with a title like Crone, you know the story is interlaced with supernatural horror. Eli Lamp is an ex-detective who is forced to work for the local motorcycle club as an enforcer and drug runner. A moment in his past has him indebted to the boss. But he is offered the chance to wipe the slate clean if uses his old detective skills to find out who murdered the gang leaders son. Eli, like most of the characters in this book, is a fuck up. He lost his wife not long after the birth of his only child. This led him down the path of drug addiction and losing his job with local police. Then years later his daughter Hannah goes missing and to this day no one knows what happened to her. Eli just trudges through life in despair and alcoholism, barely holding on. There are not a lot of redeeming qualities to Eli Lamp. But Rosson’s amazing character work is on display yet again. You can’t help but root for and sympathise with Eli (and some of the other characters). You are in their heads, feeling what they are feeling. It’s the best part of the book. I won’t go into spoilers about the horror aspects of this book. There are no cackling old ladies with pointy hats and warts on their noses. When Rosson writes horror themes (witches with Crone, vampires with Coffin Moon) you know you are getting unique interpretations from his twisted imagination. Rosson expertly weaves multiple POV’s and two different timelines so well together it reminded me of the narrative structure of the movie Weapons. If you can’t tell, I loved Crone. The characters and emotion. The unique twists. The brutal and gory horror. Crone is due to release on 22nd September. Preorder your copy now. Thanks to Black Crow Books and NetGalley for allowing me to review an ARC copy.
Ok, here is another brillant novel by Keith Rosson. Crone is gritty crime novel in a rundown town full of criminals, corrupt cops and drug addicts. If this was all the story was about, it would still be a 5 star read. But with a title like Crone, you know the story is interlaced with supernatural horror. Eli Lamp is an ex-detective who is forced to work for the local motorcycle club as an enforcer and drug runner. A moment in his past has him indebted to the boss. But he is offered the chance to wipe the slate clean if uses his old detective skills to find out who murdered the gang leaders son. Eli, like most of the characters in this book, is a fuck up. He lost his wife not long after the birth of his only child. This led him down the path of drug addiction and losing his job with local police. Then years later his daughter Hannah goes missing and to this day no one knows what happened to her. Eli just trudges through life in despair and alcoholism, barely holding on. There are not a lot of redeeming qualities to Eli Lamp. But Rosson’s amazing character work is on display yet again. You can’t help but root for and sympathise with Eli (and some of the other characters). You are in their heads, feeling what they are feeling. It’s the best part of the book. I won’t go into spoilers about the horror aspects of this book. There are no cackling old ladies with pointy hats and warts on their noses. When Rosson writes horror themes (witches with Crone, vampires with Coffin Moon) you know you are getting unique interpretations from his twisted imagination. Rosson expertly weaves multiple POV’s and two different timelines so well together it reminded me of the narrative structure of the movie Weapons. If you can’t tell, I loved Crone. The characters and emotion. The unique twists. The brutal and gory horror. Crone is due to release on 22nd September. Preorder your copy now. Thanks to Black Crow Books and NetGalley for allowing me to review an ARC copy.
April 16, 2026
Eli Lamp is an ex-cop and ex-junkie who is mourning the disappearance of his daughter, Hannah, thirteen years prior. Nowadays, Eli serves Dave Novak, head of the local biker gang/drug syndicate, by doing the man’s dirty work. When one of Novak’s sons is brutally killed and the details don’t make sense, Eli and Hannah’s childhood friend Avery start down a path of brutality that could ultimately lead them to what happened to Hannah all those years ago.
Coffin Moon was one of my top 5 favorite reads last year, so I was over the moon to be approved to read Crone early! Witches and crime? Count me tf in. Here are some thoughts I had while reading Crone:
-The setting and gore in this novel are written so well. Gnarly, but not just for the sake of it. The dreary PNW also works so atmospherically - really ups the creepy factor.
-Storylines surrounding drugs - even as secondary plot - just don’t grab or hold my attention, and they never have in any media. I was really hoping that as the story moved on we’d get less and less Dave Novak, but unfortunately he and his henchmen are always at the forefront.
-Avoiding spoilers, I was desperate for more witchy content. We’re teased throughout and it’s definitely there, but always seems to either play second fiddle or is abruptly put to rest/moved on from.
-I needed more Hannah throughout the book, whether in flashback or otherwise. I wanted to see more of how she interacted with Eli and Avery. I feel like the ending would pack an even bigger punch if we had that background.
Overall, in my opinion, too much time was spent on characters and storylines that I didn’t care about and too few pages were used to explore what I was really here to read about. This made the pacing feel off, and I went from feverishly reading to just having to get through certain sections.
As always from Rosson, this book is full of extremely well-written prose. However, I was expecting a different book than what Crone turned out to be, and it wasn’t always to my great interest. Overall, I give it a 3.5/5.
Coffin Moon was one of my top 5 favorite reads last year, so I was over the moon to be approved to read Crone early! Witches and crime? Count me tf in. Here are some thoughts I had while reading Crone:
-The setting and gore in this novel are written so well. Gnarly, but not just for the sake of it. The dreary PNW also works so atmospherically - really ups the creepy factor.
-Storylines surrounding drugs - even as secondary plot - just don’t grab or hold my attention, and they never have in any media. I was really hoping that as the story moved on we’d get less and less Dave Novak, but unfortunately he and his henchmen are always at the forefront.
-Avoiding spoilers, I was desperate for more witchy content. We’re teased throughout and it’s definitely there, but always seems to either play second fiddle or is abruptly put to rest/moved on from.
-I needed more Hannah throughout the book, whether in flashback or otherwise. I wanted to see more of how she interacted with Eli and Avery. I feel like the ending would pack an even bigger punch if we had that background.
Overall, in my opinion, too much time was spent on characters and storylines that I didn’t care about and too few pages were used to explore what I was really here to read about. This made the pacing feel off, and I went from feverishly reading to just having to get through certain sections.
As always from Rosson, this book is full of extremely well-written prose. However, I was expecting a different book than what Crone turned out to be, and it wasn’t always to my great interest. Overall, I give it a 3.5/5.
April 18, 2026
When it comes to reading, there’s not much better than a book you can’t put down. Flying through the pages, eager to experience what’s next, but also not ready for it to end. That’s been my experience with each book I’ve read from Keith Rosson, and I need to devour every word he’s written.
I’m rusty with reviews and was surprisingly blessed with a review copy of CRONE, courtesy of Netgalley and Random House. Just when I thought I couldn’t love Rosson’s writing more than I did with Coffin Moon, I was proven wrong with Crone.
Rosson’s characters come alive and it’s impossible not to become entrenched in their world. He writes some of the best stories featuring flawed, human characters. Crone has excellent pacing, plot, and atmosphere. I’ve never been to the pacific northwest but I was transported to the environment in this novel.
Rosson is a front runner among authors writing heartfelt horror, and just like in Coffin Moon, with Crone, he shines a light on the horror of humanity with the perfect balance of the supernatural.
I laughed, cried, and felt the tension as I followed this story. I’d file this under “grief horror with grit” and cannot wait to see what this author does next. In the meantime I’ll be snagging copies of his previous work to tide me over.
I’m rusty with reviews and was surprisingly blessed with a review copy of CRONE, courtesy of Netgalley and Random House. Just when I thought I couldn’t love Rosson’s writing more than I did with Coffin Moon, I was proven wrong with Crone.
Rosson’s characters come alive and it’s impossible not to become entrenched in their world. He writes some of the best stories featuring flawed, human characters. Crone has excellent pacing, plot, and atmosphere. I’ve never been to the pacific northwest but I was transported to the environment in this novel.
Rosson is a front runner among authors writing heartfelt horror, and just like in Coffin Moon, with Crone, he shines a light on the horror of humanity with the perfect balance of the supernatural.
I laughed, cried, and felt the tension as I followed this story. I’d file this under “grief horror with grit” and cannot wait to see what this author does next. In the meantime I’ll be snagging copies of his previous work to tide me over.
March 26, 2026
Crone is a fast moving, constantly evolving story. I really loved how the crone was introduced into the story and her characteristics!
There are so many twists that really add to the story.
There are a lot of characters to follow, but the author made it easy to not get confused.
This is a great read for 2026!
There are so many twists that really add to the story.
There are a lot of characters to follow, but the author made it easy to not get confused.
This is a great read for 2026!
April 11, 2026
Keith Rosson is a master storyteller who intertwines grit with heart to create incredible characters in unputdownable stories. Crone, like Coffin Moon and the Fever House duology follows in this vein. I found the characters and the dark and gritty story mesmerizing. Crone feels like Sons of Anarchy blended with a witch story and it works beautifully. As a fellow Portlander, I am always thrilled to see a local author thrive and Keith Rosson deserves every accolade for his body of work. He is a must read author for me and I highly recommend Crone
Thanks to Random House and NetGalley following providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks to Random House and NetGalley following providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
March 31, 2026
Keith Rosson’s unflinching ability to create brutal and bleak worlds that move at 100mph is something that should see him rise to the top of the horror writing genre.
Crone is the fourth book I’ve read of his, after the Fever House duology and Coffin Moon, and I think Crone is my favourite.
As a father, it drives into the fears of not being able to protect your child. The horror of not knowing what happened after the disappearance of the main character’s daughter, and the brutal nature of how his life turned paints a grim but fascinating tale.
I had previously described reading a Keith Rosson book as like being punched in the face for a few hundred pages, I’d now add the twist of a knife in the gut to that analogy in the best possible way.
Crone is the fourth book I’ve read of his, after the Fever House duology and Coffin Moon, and I think Crone is my favourite.
As a father, it drives into the fears of not being able to protect your child. The horror of not knowing what happened after the disappearance of the main character’s daughter, and the brutal nature of how his life turned paints a grim but fascinating tale.
I had previously described reading a Keith Rosson book as like being punched in the face for a few hundred pages, I’d now add the twist of a knife in the gut to that analogy in the best possible way.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Following his daughter’s disappearance, Eli Lamp made some ruinous decisions and found himself indebted to the Crooked Wheel, a local drug gang. When the son of the Crooked Wheel’s president winds up murdered, Eli is forced to turn back to his old profession of detective in order to try to solve the crime and free himself from the gang’s debt. But it can’t be that simple, especially when this current tragedy starts dragging up memories of Hannah’s disappearance.
Crone is my 5th book by Rosson and one of my most highly anticipated read of the year. To say I was thrilled to receive an arc would be an understatement. While I wish it had worked for me in the same way as his other books have, I still enjoyed a ton of what this one was doing.
Rosson’s incredible character work is on full display in Crone. He never shies away from giving his characters a list of flaws a mile long, and yet is able to make the reader actually care about what happens to them in the end. Eli Lamp, the former detective, recovered addict, current enforcer for a motorcycle club, is tormented and tortured in a way that I could only trust Rosson to make work. I would read a short story collection based around every member of the Crooked Wheel (especially if a particular Coffin Moon reference wanted to make another appearance).
The writing is, as always with a Rosson book, stellar. The atmosphere is gritty and dark in a way that I’ve come to expect from his books. The book opens during a storm on a long stretch of highway, and boy, do you feel the ominous weight of what’s going to happen right from the jump.
Frankly the first chapter of the book overall? 10 out of 10, and I wish that was how I felt for the rest of it. With the title of the book being Crone, I had really expected spending more time exploring that figure. A Keith Rosson book about a witch? Hell yeah. Instead, this one felt more like a mystery thriller than anything else, and, unfortunately, that’s where the story started to lose me. There were more guns than supernatural/horror elements by the end, which just wasn’t what I personally wanted from this one.
This is still a solid book, with incredible characters and some of the best writing on the market. I just wish the story itself had worked more for me. If you’re a fan of Rosson or enjoy gritty mysteries with a little revenge sprinkled on top, then absolutely give this one a go. Rosson remains one of my must-read authors, and I can’t wait for his next one to come out. Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the eArc of this one!
Crone is my 5th book by Rosson and one of my most highly anticipated read of the year. To say I was thrilled to receive an arc would be an understatement. While I wish it had worked for me in the same way as his other books have, I still enjoyed a ton of what this one was doing.
Rosson’s incredible character work is on full display in Crone. He never shies away from giving his characters a list of flaws a mile long, and yet is able to make the reader actually care about what happens to them in the end. Eli Lamp, the former detective, recovered addict, current enforcer for a motorcycle club, is tormented and tortured in a way that I could only trust Rosson to make work. I would read a short story collection based around every member of the Crooked Wheel (especially if a particular Coffin Moon reference wanted to make another appearance).
The writing is, as always with a Rosson book, stellar. The atmosphere is gritty and dark in a way that I’ve come to expect from his books. The book opens during a storm on a long stretch of highway, and boy, do you feel the ominous weight of what’s going to happen right from the jump.
Frankly the first chapter of the book overall? 10 out of 10, and I wish that was how I felt for the rest of it. With the title of the book being Crone, I had really expected spending more time exploring that figure. A Keith Rosson book about a witch? Hell yeah. Instead, this one felt more like a mystery thriller than anything else, and, unfortunately, that’s where the story started to lose me. There were more guns than supernatural/horror elements by the end, which just wasn’t what I personally wanted from this one.
This is still a solid book, with incredible characters and some of the best writing on the market. I just wish the story itself had worked more for me. If you’re a fan of Rosson or enjoy gritty mysteries with a little revenge sprinkled on top, then absolutely give this one a go. Rosson remains one of my must-read authors, and I can’t wait for his next one to come out. Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the eArc of this one!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The residents of Salt Point are poisoned (at least the ones Crone follows). Some by choice, some by circumstance. Throughout the novel, Keith Rosson sucks the poison from these characters with both a vicious brutality and a gentle melancholy. Just like with his previous work, by the end you're left feeling utterly spent. And while the final pages of Coffin Moon have stuck with me in a way very few other books ever could, I think that Rosson has topped it with Crone in nearly every way.
Much of the story is focused on Eli Lamp, an ex-detective and former drug addict. Eli’s daughter, Hannah, went missing 13 years before the story begins, deepening his spiral and kicking off a chain of events that culminated in his indentured servitude to Trying Dave Novak, the head of the Broken Wheel biker gang (marking the gang’s return after their very ill-fated appearance in Coffin Moon). Now, Eli spends his days growing the hazeweed the Wheel use to make Wire (a drug so viciously detailed that I had to look it up, convinced it must be real) and making Dave’s payoffs to the local sheriff. When he can, he still looks for Hannah, turning over the same rocks he has for 13 years.
Then, Trying Dave’s son turns up brutally murdered, a grisly totem is discovered on the beach by a local medium, and Hannah’s childhood friend Avery returns to Salt Point (herself now a Wire addict), pulled back by a recurring dream about Hannah. These pieces set up a propulsive narrative that burns through the book’s 350 pages.
Rossen has a gift for leaving your jaw on the floor. Acts of shocking violence explode in the middle of paragraphs when you least expect it, leaving you reeling and often left holding the pieces of what you thought the narrative was going to be.
The book brings everything together into the type of satisfying conclusion few horror novels are able to capture, explaining just enough that your questions are answered, while preserving the mystery and atmosphere. I’ve always felt that if you turn the lights on too brightly, the scares go away. Rosson leaves the dimmer switch set nearer the top than the bottom, but never allows the shadows to be entirely swept away.
Crone is an exciting, terrifying meditation on the choices that make us, on grief, and on catharsis. It effortlessly blends crime fiction, psychological horror, creature feature, and a touch of grindhouse sensibility into the kind of memorable top-shelf read I’ve come to expect from Rosson.
Thanks to Random House for the review copy.
Much of the story is focused on Eli Lamp, an ex-detective and former drug addict. Eli’s daughter, Hannah, went missing 13 years before the story begins, deepening his spiral and kicking off a chain of events that culminated in his indentured servitude to Trying Dave Novak, the head of the Broken Wheel biker gang (marking the gang’s return after their very ill-fated appearance in Coffin Moon). Now, Eli spends his days growing the hazeweed the Wheel use to make Wire (a drug so viciously detailed that I had to look it up, convinced it must be real) and making Dave’s payoffs to the local sheriff. When he can, he still looks for Hannah, turning over the same rocks he has for 13 years.
Then, Trying Dave’s son turns up brutally murdered, a grisly totem is discovered on the beach by a local medium, and Hannah’s childhood friend Avery returns to Salt Point (herself now a Wire addict), pulled back by a recurring dream about Hannah. These pieces set up a propulsive narrative that burns through the book’s 350 pages.
Rossen has a gift for leaving your jaw on the floor. Acts of shocking violence explode in the middle of paragraphs when you least expect it, leaving you reeling and often left holding the pieces of what you thought the narrative was going to be.
The book brings everything together into the type of satisfying conclusion few horror novels are able to capture, explaining just enough that your questions are answered, while preserving the mystery and atmosphere. I’ve always felt that if you turn the lights on too brightly, the scares go away. Rosson leaves the dimmer switch set nearer the top than the bottom, but never allows the shadows to be entirely swept away.
Crone is an exciting, terrifying meditation on the choices that make us, on grief, and on catharsis. It effortlessly blends crime fiction, psychological horror, creature feature, and a touch of grindhouse sensibility into the kind of memorable top-shelf read I’ve come to expect from Rosson.
Thanks to Random House for the review copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
WOWZA!!!! Crone is dark, gritty, brutal, horrific, addictive, suspenseful, and hard to put down!!!!!! I mean, seriously, Crone was off the hook fantastic! Once I began reading, I was instantly hooked. Whew! This book put me through the ringer, and I loved every single second of it! Seriously, this book had a little bit of everything and then some.
Hannah was 15 years old when she went missing. Her father, Eli, is a drug addicted broken man who went on a mission of vengeance looking for her. Avery, her best friend at the time, has not been the same since the night Hannah went missing. She is also a broken person in this book. Both are left reeling when Hannah goes missing. Take the two and throw in a supernatural element, a local drug gang, and a witch! Woohoo!
I absolutely loved this book. The writing is fabulous and I loved the vivid descriptions which, at times, had me wanting to cover my eyes. But I put on my big girl panties and soldiered through! This book is not for the faint of heart! It's raw, gritty, dark, twisted, and has many messed up characters. There are shocking and chilling scenes. There are scenes that evoke emotion and scenes which had my heart racing.
This book is dripping with dread, danger, tension, and horrific happenings. It also has moments which were achingly heartfelt and had me feeling for the characters. You may find yourself wondering who is more horrific in this book, the supernatural element or the humans.
This book touches on many things including grief, loss, anger, vengeance, redemption, and addiction. This book has horror and heart. I loved it.
All the stars and then some! I highly recommend Crone.
*Witches Words buddy read with Mary Beth. Please read her review as well to get her thoughts on Crone.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Hannah was 15 years old when she went missing. Her father, Eli, is a drug addicted broken man who went on a mission of vengeance looking for her. Avery, her best friend at the time, has not been the same since the night Hannah went missing. She is also a broken person in this book. Both are left reeling when Hannah goes missing. Take the two and throw in a supernatural element, a local drug gang, and a witch! Woohoo!
I absolutely loved this book. The writing is fabulous and I loved the vivid descriptions which, at times, had me wanting to cover my eyes. But I put on my big girl panties and soldiered through! This book is not for the faint of heart! It's raw, gritty, dark, twisted, and has many messed up characters. There are shocking and chilling scenes. There are scenes that evoke emotion and scenes which had my heart racing.
This book is dripping with dread, danger, tension, and horrific happenings. It also has moments which were achingly heartfelt and had me feeling for the characters. You may find yourself wondering who is more horrific in this book, the supernatural element or the humans.
This book touches on many things including grief, loss, anger, vengeance, redemption, and addiction. This book has horror and heart. I loved it.
All the stars and then some! I highly recommend Crone.
*Witches Words buddy read with Mary Beth. Please read her review as well to get her thoughts on Crone.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley.
Crone was more than what I was expecting. I loved this one!
Not only is the plot gritty and emotional, but the atmosphere is descriptive and fantastic. The Oregon coast and surrounding woods are a perfect setting for something that's lurking in the dark.
The book begins with the reader being introduced to Eli Lamp’s only child, Hannah.
She’s walking along Highway 101 one night with her best friend Avery. A blue van pulls over, and Hannah decides to take the ride. This pivotal moment changes everything in Avery’s and Eli’s life forever.
It’s been over ten years now since Hannah went missing and Eli is just trying to survive.
He’s an ex-addict as well as being an ex-detective. The local biker gang in the area, Crooked Wheel owns him and one day, the son of the head boss is killed.
Eli is told to investigate his murder, and from this moment, the power dynamics start to change.
Crone gives us a look into gang violence, drug trafficking and brutality that feels like watching a season of Sons of Anarchy.
This is not a light read, and you should be prepared for darkness and evil from not only the local gang, but with how it corrupts everything it touches.
The characterization is amazing in this book, and I hated so many people!
I love it when the supernatural horror finally shows up in this book!
The brutality and corruption in this will have you cheering for the cunning figure that’s causing death and destruction.
It’s about halfway into the book when everything changes and the tension is fantastic. I could not put this book down and it’s so satisfying when the gore and terror begin.
Along with some shocking moments in the book, this is about redemption, revenge and how grief can destroy a person.
The ending lands beautifully, and it couldn’t have been better in my opinion.
I’m excited to see what Keith Rosson writes next.
He tends to write horror with a crime setting that just works for me. It’s bleak, ruthless and makes you feel invested in the plot and characters!
Crone was more than what I was expecting. I loved this one!
Not only is the plot gritty and emotional, but the atmosphere is descriptive and fantastic. The Oregon coast and surrounding woods are a perfect setting for something that's lurking in the dark.
The book begins with the reader being introduced to Eli Lamp’s only child, Hannah.
She’s walking along Highway 101 one night with her best friend Avery. A blue van pulls over, and Hannah decides to take the ride. This pivotal moment changes everything in Avery’s and Eli’s life forever.
It’s been over ten years now since Hannah went missing and Eli is just trying to survive.
He’s an ex-addict as well as being an ex-detective. The local biker gang in the area, Crooked Wheel owns him and one day, the son of the head boss is killed.
Eli is told to investigate his murder, and from this moment, the power dynamics start to change.
Crone gives us a look into gang violence, drug trafficking and brutality that feels like watching a season of Sons of Anarchy.
This is not a light read, and you should be prepared for darkness and evil from not only the local gang, but with how it corrupts everything it touches.
The characterization is amazing in this book, and I hated so many people!
I love it when the supernatural horror finally shows up in this book!
The brutality and corruption in this will have you cheering for the cunning figure that’s causing death and destruction.
It’s about halfway into the book when everything changes and the tension is fantastic. I could not put this book down and it’s so satisfying when the gore and terror begin.
Along with some shocking moments in the book, this is about redemption, revenge and how grief can destroy a person.
The ending lands beautifully, and it couldn’t have been better in my opinion.
I’m excited to see what Keith Rosson writes next.
He tends to write horror with a crime setting that just works for me. It’s bleak, ruthless and makes you feel invested in the plot and characters!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you to the publisher, Random House, and Netgalley for this ARC for review.
If you’re a fan of a slow burn read, then Keith Rosson may not be the author for you. His writing is a conflagration. It’s forest fire raging on high winds. It’s breathless, brutal, and breakneck. His newest novel "Crone" is no exception. I couldn’t put it down.
"Crone" begins with the disappearance of Hannah, a teenage girl with severely limited eyesight. Her disappearance unravels the lives of those around her and years later ignites a nightmarish descent into chaos. Years after her disappearance, we follow her father’s desperate search for answers and her best friend’s return to the town that broke her. What follows is an unpredictable blend of crime noir, supernatural tension, and small-town drama.
Rosson’s gritty portrayals of violent crime and drug use are balanced by his ethereal and stunning imagery. His prose is eloquent and demanding. It moves seamlessly from the biker clubhouse to the mossy, old world forests of the PNW. The characters in this novel, both human and supernatural, are powerfully written. They are nuanced, flawed, and utterly relatable. You can’t help but be drawn in by them. And, in some cases, devastated by them as well. It takes an incredibly gifted writer to make a reader feel for characters the way that Rosson does. He’s particularly talented at creating the downtrodden underdog that pulls at the heartstrings. However, unlike many authors, Rosson has no qualms about keeping that character downtrodden. He excels at stories that don’t give everyone a happy ending.
"Crone" doesn’t pull punches. It lands each strike with devastating precision. And, just when you think you have it figured out, it jags to the left and leaves you breathless and stunned. This book revels in its own desperation and brutality.
To say that I am a fan of Keith Rosson is an understatement, I’ve intensely enjoyed every book I’ve read from him. Crone may well hold the title of favorite book of the year for me. You simply can’t go wrong with a Keith Rosson novel.
If you’re a fan of a slow burn read, then Keith Rosson may not be the author for you. His writing is a conflagration. It’s forest fire raging on high winds. It’s breathless, brutal, and breakneck. His newest novel "Crone" is no exception. I couldn’t put it down.
"Crone" begins with the disappearance of Hannah, a teenage girl with severely limited eyesight. Her disappearance unravels the lives of those around her and years later ignites a nightmarish descent into chaos. Years after her disappearance, we follow her father’s desperate search for answers and her best friend’s return to the town that broke her. What follows is an unpredictable blend of crime noir, supernatural tension, and small-town drama.
Rosson’s gritty portrayals of violent crime and drug use are balanced by his ethereal and stunning imagery. His prose is eloquent and demanding. It moves seamlessly from the biker clubhouse to the mossy, old world forests of the PNW. The characters in this novel, both human and supernatural, are powerfully written. They are nuanced, flawed, and utterly relatable. You can’t help but be drawn in by them. And, in some cases, devastated by them as well. It takes an incredibly gifted writer to make a reader feel for characters the way that Rosson does. He’s particularly talented at creating the downtrodden underdog that pulls at the heartstrings. However, unlike many authors, Rosson has no qualms about keeping that character downtrodden. He excels at stories that don’t give everyone a happy ending.
"Crone" doesn’t pull punches. It lands each strike with devastating precision. And, just when you think you have it figured out, it jags to the left and leaves you breathless and stunned. This book revels in its own desperation and brutality.
To say that I am a fan of Keith Rosson is an understatement, I’ve intensely enjoyed every book I’ve read from him. Crone may well hold the title of favorite book of the year for me. You simply can’t go wrong with a Keith Rosson novel.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
One of the advantages of being a professional book person is advanced reader copies (ARCS) of soon-to-be published titles. There are certain authors that I often search for ad nauseum, including John Darnielle and Agustina Bazterrica, and Keith Rosson. I first read his book of short stories, "Folk Songs for Trauma Surgeons" years ago, and was blown away by the originality and creativity. Since then, he's published one excellent horror novel after another. This newest title, "Crone," is to be published in September of 2026, and yes, the universe blessed me with an ARC.
Long story short - I loved it. Could not put it down. A week-long compulsion. Rosson stirs together a local crime element, small town living, charged and recognizable familial relationships, teenage friendship, local lore, and creatures (the otherworldly that are perhaps more worldly than even us), with terror, shades of grey, suspense, and sorrow. It's the perfect combination of prose and story; his observations concerning minute details of small and great happenings are skillful, creating a story that grabs you by the many fibers of your being. Distilled down, it's about a raucous teenager, her friend, her parents, drugs, and treading water (treading so much) to stay afloat in a small town where so much is against you. And there's a witch. The Crone. She's scary, she's compassionate, she has fish hooked teeth, she's often covered in blood, and she'll fuck you up. I love her.
Rosson's character creation and the subsequent depictions of the transmundane is an unwonted gift. As of writing this, I closed the cover on my eReader last night and the ghost of an ache in my chest remains palpable. I miss so many of the characters, as so many are both good and bad, ugly and stunning.
In the meantime before the publication of "Crone," I highly recommend "Fever House" and it's sequel, "Devil by Name," and "Coffin Moon."
Long story short - I loved it. Could not put it down. A week-long compulsion. Rosson stirs together a local crime element, small town living, charged and recognizable familial relationships, teenage friendship, local lore, and creatures (the otherworldly that are perhaps more worldly than even us), with terror, shades of grey, suspense, and sorrow. It's the perfect combination of prose and story; his observations concerning minute details of small and great happenings are skillful, creating a story that grabs you by the many fibers of your being. Distilled down, it's about a raucous teenager, her friend, her parents, drugs, and treading water (treading so much) to stay afloat in a small town where so much is against you. And there's a witch. The Crone. She's scary, she's compassionate, she has fish hooked teeth, she's often covered in blood, and she'll fuck you up. I love her.
Rosson's character creation and the subsequent depictions of the transmundane is an unwonted gift. As of writing this, I closed the cover on my eReader last night and the ghost of an ache in my chest remains palpable. I miss so many of the characters, as so many are both good and bad, ugly and stunning.
In the meantime before the publication of "Crone," I highly recommend "Fever House" and it's sequel, "Devil by Name," and "Coffin Moon."
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
You know how horror books tend to start off all sunshine and rainbows, to provide the reader with a foundation of normalcy so the upcoming descent into madness and chaos hits harder? Crone instead drops us into trenches, and all you can think is, oh god what could possibly make this situation worse. And oh boy, it gets worse.
"Hannah was past telling shit to anyone anymore. Hannah had gotten in the wrong van, and she was bones in the ground, and story time was long over".
One part creature feature, one part cold case crime thriller, entwined with graphic violence. Crone explores guilt, grief, corruption, addiction, the complexity of love. The portrayal of addiction in particular felt authentic, nuanced and appropriately grim. The mystery is slowly stitched together through multiple intersecting POVs, I never quite knew what was going to happen next and was genuinely shocked by some of the twists. As I have come to expect from Rosson, he does amazing character work. He embraces the inherent complexity of human nature, his characters are flawed and messy. This was something I also loved about Coffin Moon, you feel empathy for the "bad guys", they aren't just flat boogieman.
"How that guilt could form around you like a skin, like armor but with all the sharp edges turned inward, cutting you every time you moved, until you finally just got numb from it as a way of staying alive"
While I did really enjoy this book, the pacing is a bit odd. For being under 400 pages it felt like I was reading this forever. A lot of plot is reserved for the final quarter, so the middle felt very slow, almost repetitive at times. So much of the world building in regards to the titular Crone is also limited to the tail end of the book, which left me wanting more.
* Thank you to the author, publisher & NetGalley for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review *
"Hannah was past telling shit to anyone anymore. Hannah had gotten in the wrong van, and she was bones in the ground, and story time was long over".
One part creature feature, one part cold case crime thriller, entwined with graphic violence. Crone explores guilt, grief, corruption, addiction, the complexity of love. The portrayal of addiction in particular felt authentic, nuanced and appropriately grim. The mystery is slowly stitched together through multiple intersecting POVs, I never quite knew what was going to happen next and was genuinely shocked by some of the twists. As I have come to expect from Rosson, he does amazing character work. He embraces the inherent complexity of human nature, his characters are flawed and messy. This was something I also loved about Coffin Moon, you feel empathy for the "bad guys", they aren't just flat boogieman.
"How that guilt could form around you like a skin, like armor but with all the sharp edges turned inward, cutting you every time you moved, until you finally just got numb from it as a way of staying alive"
While I did really enjoy this book, the pacing is a bit odd. For being under 400 pages it felt like I was reading this forever. A lot of plot is reserved for the final quarter, so the middle felt very slow, almost repetitive at times. So much of the world building in regards to the titular Crone is also limited to the tail end of the book, which left me wanting more.
* Thank you to the author, publisher & NetGalley for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review *
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Keith Rosson’s Crone is a tightly woven, emotionally resonant horror that balances small-town grit with just the right whisper of the supernatural. Snappy, propulsive chapters move between multiple perspectives—chiefly Eli and Avery, with a few others—giving the narrative both immediacy and a layered intimacy. The shifting viewpoints let Rosson explore community dynamics, addiction, and crime from different angles while steadily tightening the dread.
The town itself feels lived-in: a compact setting where secrets fester, addictions claw at daily life, and crimes reverberate through everyone’s relationships. Rosson knows how to root horror in ordinary human pain, and that grounding makes the supernatural elements land harder. The witch in Crone is handled particularly well—familiar mythic beats are twisted into something fresh, uncanny, and distinctly Rosson. He’s adept at taking genres and themes readers think they know and reshaping them into work that feels original and personal.
Tone-wise, Crone sits squarely in that rare sweet spot between natural and supernatural horrors. Rosson doles out both in measured doses so neither overwhelms the other; human nastiness and frailty remain as chilling as the otherworldly. There’s a clear emotional core—horror with heart—that keeps the story from slipping into mere spectacle.
Is it his best? Coffin Moon remains a high bar, and while Crone may not unseat it for you, it’s certainly in the same league for me: inventive, affecting, and unmistakably Keith Rosson. Fans of character-driven, small-town horror with a deft supernatural touch will find a lot to love here. I certainly loved it!
This one arrives on 9/22/2026. Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for providing an ARC. All opinions are my own.
The town itself feels lived-in: a compact setting where secrets fester, addictions claw at daily life, and crimes reverberate through everyone’s relationships. Rosson knows how to root horror in ordinary human pain, and that grounding makes the supernatural elements land harder. The witch in Crone is handled particularly well—familiar mythic beats are twisted into something fresh, uncanny, and distinctly Rosson. He’s adept at taking genres and themes readers think they know and reshaping them into work that feels original and personal.
Tone-wise, Crone sits squarely in that rare sweet spot between natural and supernatural horrors. Rosson doles out both in measured doses so neither overwhelms the other; human nastiness and frailty remain as chilling as the otherworldly. There’s a clear emotional core—horror with heart—that keeps the story from slipping into mere spectacle.
Is it his best? Coffin Moon remains a high bar, and while Crone may not unseat it for you, it’s certainly in the same league for me: inventive, affecting, and unmistakably Keith Rosson. Fans of character-driven, small-town horror with a deft supernatural touch will find a lot to love here. I certainly loved it!
This one arrives on 9/22/2026. Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for providing an ARC. All opinions are my own.
April 20, 2026
🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛ Chrone by Keith Rosson
A girl disappears on a rain-soaked road in Salt Point, Oregon… and the fallout never really stops echoing.
Years later, the story splinters across a cast of broken, complicated people - an ex-detective turned enforcer, a guilt-ridden best friend, a seer who listens to voices from somewhere other and a town that feels like it’s rotting from the inside out. When something unnatural begins to stir in the woods, past and present start bleeding together in ways that are eerie, violent and strangely sorrowful.
If you’ve read Coffin Moon or the Fever House duology, you’ll recognise that same grit - just more intimate and quietly haunting here.
Rosson has a knack for writing people at their absolute lowest and still making you root for them. Everyone here is flawed - addiction, grief, regret, bad choices stacked on worse ones - but they feel real. Not polished. Not redeemed. Just human in that messy, aching way.
There’s a quiet thread of the supernatural running through it all - witchcraft, something lurking just out of sight and the idea of an “in-between” that I honestly wish we got even more of. It adds this hazy, creeping dread rather than anything loud or jumpy.
Tone-wise, this one leans heavy. It’s sad. There’s a constant sense of loss woven through every POV, and even the moments of action feel weighted with it. But that’s also what makes it hit.
The multi-POV structure really works - it lets you sit with each character, understand their damage, and see how everything slowly knots together.
Also… little nods to Rosson’s wider world (👀) are always a treat. Blank Letters forever 🖤
Thanks to Black Crow Book, Keith & NetGalley for the ARC
A girl disappears on a rain-soaked road in Salt Point, Oregon… and the fallout never really stops echoing.
Years later, the story splinters across a cast of broken, complicated people - an ex-detective turned enforcer, a guilt-ridden best friend, a seer who listens to voices from somewhere other and a town that feels like it’s rotting from the inside out. When something unnatural begins to stir in the woods, past and present start bleeding together in ways that are eerie, violent and strangely sorrowful.
If you’ve read Coffin Moon or the Fever House duology, you’ll recognise that same grit - just more intimate and quietly haunting here.
Rosson has a knack for writing people at their absolute lowest and still making you root for them. Everyone here is flawed - addiction, grief, regret, bad choices stacked on worse ones - but they feel real. Not polished. Not redeemed. Just human in that messy, aching way.
There’s a quiet thread of the supernatural running through it all - witchcraft, something lurking just out of sight and the idea of an “in-between” that I honestly wish we got even more of. It adds this hazy, creeping dread rather than anything loud or jumpy.
Tone-wise, this one leans heavy. It’s sad. There’s a constant sense of loss woven through every POV, and even the moments of action feel weighted with it. But that’s also what makes it hit.
The multi-POV structure really works - it lets you sit with each character, understand their damage, and see how everything slowly knots together.
Also… little nods to Rosson’s wider world (👀) are always a treat. Blank Letters forever 🖤
Thanks to Black Crow Book, Keith & NetGalley for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Keith really smashed it with this one.
As a parent, this is pure nightmare fuel for me.
So a young blind girl, Hannah, is taken into a van when walking home and her friend fails to stop it and she goes missing...
Thirteen years later, we follow her father Eli a broken former police officer and recovering addict still haunted by her disappearance and still trying to look for answers. Whilst looking for his daughter strange and supernatural things start to happen.
I have to say the structure for this book is excellent and the is spot on throughout. I was never bored; every page felt important.
Rosson doesn’t shy away from the ugliness either. The people, the town, the woods, the crime, the biker gangs, drug use it's all there and all really felt lived in.
The depiction of drug use is really unpleasant and pretty gory which surprised me. The crime, drug use and missing daughter really helped this supernatural story also reinforce the book’s bleak tone that I felt. But that doesn't stop the genuine emotional moments scattered in the book too.
There’s a brief detour that stands out as one of my favourite sections that I actually messaged Rosson about as I liked it so much. It's tense, unsettling, and pretty scary and gory. It's incredibly well done. There’s also a subtle callback that fans of Rosson's past work that you may appreciate without giving anything away.
Crone comes full circle in a way that really hits the mark it's also pretty darn sad. This is only my second Rosson book, but back to back great reads of his work has definitely made me a fan.
Thank you to NetGalley and Black Crow Books for an early eARC for a review.
As a parent, this is pure nightmare fuel for me.
So a young blind girl, Hannah, is taken into a van when walking home and her friend fails to stop it and she goes missing...
Thirteen years later, we follow her father Eli a broken former police officer and recovering addict still haunted by her disappearance and still trying to look for answers. Whilst looking for his daughter strange and supernatural things start to happen.
I have to say the structure for this book is excellent and the is spot on throughout. I was never bored; every page felt important.
Rosson doesn’t shy away from the ugliness either. The people, the town, the woods, the crime, the biker gangs, drug use it's all there and all really felt lived in.
The depiction of drug use is really unpleasant and pretty gory which surprised me. The crime, drug use and missing daughter really helped this supernatural story also reinforce the book’s bleak tone that I felt. But that doesn't stop the genuine emotional moments scattered in the book too.
There’s a brief detour that stands out as one of my favourite sections that I actually messaged Rosson about as I liked it so much. It's tense, unsettling, and pretty scary and gory. It's incredibly well done. There’s also a subtle callback that fans of Rosson's past work that you may appreciate without giving anything away.
Crone comes full circle in a way that really hits the mark it's also pretty darn sad. This is only my second Rosson book, but back to back great reads of his work has definitely made me a fan.
Thank you to NetGalley and Black Crow Books for an early eARC for a review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I have a lot of favorite horror authors, but I’m pretty sure Keith Rosson is my Absolute Favorite. Like, you cannot go wrong with him. I just know I’ll be in for a “fun,” dark, propulsive ride. But there will also be these deep, quiet moments.
As I read this, I realized I’ve come to think of him as the S.A. Cosby of horror writers. The vibe is gritty and grimy and dirtbaggy (and I mean that as a compliment). Punk rock, trailer parks, blue collar, dive bars, drugs, cops, dirty cops, motorcycle clubs… and then you get the horror elements as a bonus.
Eli is a bit like Duane from Coffin Moon or an S.A. Cosby protagonist… deep down a good dude who just had bad shit happen… flawed but sympathetic. He’s a recovering addict and former cop, and his daughter disappeared 13 years ago. And he’s working for a drug dealing MC now (the same one from Coffin Moon!).
I love the whole Rosson Vibe and so this was another great one. Ugh it’s so good. And it just gets, like, more sad but more beautiful as it goes on. Rosson kills me because his work can be both things: extremely violent and hauntingly beautiful. (And I mean extremely violent — loved those scenes, they were insane!)
The last paragraph is a thing of beauty. Everything in the book has led to that and it’s just utterly perfect. So I won’t quote it here, but here’s one of the many lines that stood out to me: “It pressed its hand to the thudding highway of blood at his throat.” Ugh, Keith Rosson, the writer you are….
I know I’ll be re-reading this one.
As I read this, I realized I’ve come to think of him as the S.A. Cosby of horror writers. The vibe is gritty and grimy and dirtbaggy (and I mean that as a compliment). Punk rock, trailer parks, blue collar, dive bars, drugs, cops, dirty cops, motorcycle clubs… and then you get the horror elements as a bonus.
Eli is a bit like Duane from Coffin Moon or an S.A. Cosby protagonist… deep down a good dude who just had bad shit happen… flawed but sympathetic. He’s a recovering addict and former cop, and his daughter disappeared 13 years ago. And he’s working for a drug dealing MC now (the same one from Coffin Moon!).
I love the whole Rosson Vibe and so this was another great one. Ugh it’s so good. And it just gets, like, more sad but more beautiful as it goes on. Rosson kills me because his work can be both things: extremely violent and hauntingly beautiful. (And I mean extremely violent — loved those scenes, they were insane!)
The last paragraph is a thing of beauty. Everything in the book has led to that and it’s just utterly perfect. So I won’t quote it here, but here’s one of the many lines that stood out to me: “It pressed its hand to the thudding highway of blood at his throat.” Ugh, Keith Rosson, the writer you are….
I know I’ll be re-reading this one.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Everything in Crone fits impressively together like an intricate, fleshed-out, dark little puzzle.
Eli Lamp has come even more undone after his daughter Hannah’s disappearance. Even though he’s no longer addicted to wire, he’s up to his neck in the Crooked Wheel’s dirty business. And Hannah’s best friend, Avery, is not faring much better in Arcata, CA, and soon returns to her coastal hometown after a disturbing dream about her old friend.
What follows is a lot of drug-dealing violence, glimpses into the past, genuine creepiness, building horror, a crone, of course, and such a complete picture of the Oregon coast you can almost feel the dreary dampness in the room with you.
As a Portlander, it’s always fun to crack open a Rosson novel and figure out where things are supposed to be taking place—in this case, I'm guessing around Newport. There are also some fun familiar elements in here besides the Crooked Wheel club that was introduced in Coffin Moon. (Shout out to my favorite fictional TV show about a food item.)
All in all, this was an excellent and engaging read that I plan to get a hard copy of as soon as it becomes available. Crone was hard to put down, and it’s impossible to stop thinking about now that I’ve finished it. The story is tragic for sure, but not so much that I don't want to jump right into a re-read soon.
Thanks so much to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC!
Eli Lamp has come even more undone after his daughter Hannah’s disappearance. Even though he’s no longer addicted to wire, he’s up to his neck in the Crooked Wheel’s dirty business. And Hannah’s best friend, Avery, is not faring much better in Arcata, CA, and soon returns to her coastal hometown after a disturbing dream about her old friend.
What follows is a lot of drug-dealing violence, glimpses into the past, genuine creepiness, building horror, a crone, of course, and such a complete picture of the Oregon coast you can almost feel the dreary dampness in the room with you.
As a Portlander, it’s always fun to crack open a Rosson novel and figure out where things are supposed to be taking place—in this case, I'm guessing around Newport. There are also some fun familiar elements in here besides the Crooked Wheel club that was introduced in Coffin Moon. (Shout out to my favorite fictional TV show about a food item.)
All in all, this was an excellent and engaging read that I plan to get a hard copy of as soon as it becomes available. Crone was hard to put down, and it’s impossible to stop thinking about now that I’ve finished it. The story is tragic for sure, but not so much that I don't want to jump right into a re-read soon.
Thanks so much to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Rosson hit my radar with the gloriously batshit crazy 'Fever House', as well as the sequel 'The Devil By Name'. These were - without question - two of the most enjoyable horror novels I have read in a long time. And then 'Coffin Moon' came along and cemented the fact that Rosson knows how to write fast, hard, and compelling horror.
With 'Crone' the dark manic energy of those earlier works remain - chock full of blood, drugs, violence, and bad men doing bad things. Set in the Pacific Northwest the story kicks off with a teenage girl literally snatched off a dark road into a darker van - and how thirteen years later her disappearance has impacted many, many lives. Oh, and then there's a brutally dismembered body AND there's also something unnatural in the woods, too.
There is a gut-punch urgency to the violence that takes place, much of it linked - however tangentially or not - to the addictive drug known as 'wire' that seems to touch the lives of all the characters in some way. With a murky bleakness that is palpable the body count rises as Rosson builds to a bloody climax that hit me in ways I wasn't necessarily expecting from a horror novel. I might have even had a goosebump or two.
Bonus points for a few blink-and-you-miss-them references to some of Rosson's other novels.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!
Thanks to Penguin/Random House for the advance copy of this September 2026 release!
With 'Crone' the dark manic energy of those earlier works remain - chock full of blood, drugs, violence, and bad men doing bad things. Set in the Pacific Northwest the story kicks off with a teenage girl literally snatched off a dark road into a darker van - and how thirteen years later her disappearance has impacted many, many lives. Oh, and then there's a brutally dismembered body AND there's also something unnatural in the woods, too.
There is a gut-punch urgency to the violence that takes place, much of it linked - however tangentially or not - to the addictive drug known as 'wire' that seems to touch the lives of all the characters in some way. With a murky bleakness that is palpable the body count rises as Rosson builds to a bloody climax that hit me in ways I wasn't necessarily expecting from a horror novel. I might have even had a goosebump or two.
Bonus points for a few blink-and-you-miss-them references to some of Rosson's other novels.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!
Thanks to Penguin/Random House for the advance copy of this September 2026 release!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Keith Rosson has written another amazing book. Crone provides action-packed punches left and right. The mystery of the book is handled with care and Keith gives subtle clues throughout which kept me guessing until almost the very end.
Hannah is 15 and her mother died at her birth. Eli, her father is rarely home. She’s basically blind and lives in a small town where addiction is rampant. Her high school full of abusive shitheads with only one friend, Avery, (and punk rock) as her salvation. Look for an Easter egg from another one of Rosson’s books.
The story is an absolutely insane gore-fest, if you’re queasy it will challenge you (and doesn’t that make you want to read it more though?!). The drug, “wire,” is a big player in this book and one of the most horrific and barbaric things.The combination of hopelessness and escape to better times sinks its teeth into the pit of your soul and shakes it.
As the story progresses you can’t help falling in love with the main characters and having great compassion for them-while absolutely abhorring the bad guys. Keith expertly navigates so many layers of trauma and attachment wounding with an expert facility.
Despite the horror, brutality, trauma and general feeling of hopelessness the book highlights love, hopefulness, compassion, and freedom. It is truly beautiful and a must read.
My thanks to Random House for allowing me to read this ARC.
Hannah is 15 and her mother died at her birth. Eli, her father is rarely home. She’s basically blind and lives in a small town where addiction is rampant. Her high school full of abusive shitheads with only one friend, Avery, (and punk rock) as her salvation. Look for an Easter egg from another one of Rosson’s books.
The story is an absolutely insane gore-fest, if you’re queasy it will challenge you (and doesn’t that make you want to read it more though?!). The drug, “wire,” is a big player in this book and one of the most horrific and barbaric things.The combination of hopelessness and escape to better times sinks its teeth into the pit of your soul and shakes it.
As the story progresses you can’t help falling in love with the main characters and having great compassion for them-while absolutely abhorring the bad guys. Keith expertly navigates so many layers of trauma and attachment wounding with an expert facility.
Despite the horror, brutality, trauma and general feeling of hopelessness the book highlights love, hopefulness, compassion, and freedom. It is truly beautiful and a must read.
My thanks to Random House for allowing me to read this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Rating 4.25
Crone blends gritty crime, emotional trauma, and slow-burn supernatural horror, creating a story where the past and present collide, and nothing is quite what it seems.
What stood out for me was the emotional weight and the lingering atmosphere. Eli and Avery aren’t just plot vehicles, they feel authentically damaged. Eli’s grief and addiction are portrayed realistically, never glamorized, and Avery carries quiet but convincing trauma. The horror resonates because it’s rooted in real emotional pain, not just monsters. I also appreciated the blend of crime mystery with supernatural elements: the detective framework drives the story forward, while the hints of the uncanny destabilize it in a satisfying way.
Rosson avoids over-explaining the horror, leaving ambiguity that makes the story more disturbing, though some readers might find it frustrating. While some story elements like a missing child, troubled detective, and haunted woods aren’t entirely original, what makes the book feel fresh is the execution, not the premise.
Overall, Crone works best as a slow-burn, atmospheric novel. It lingers under your skin, not with flashy scares, but through mood, tension, and emotional resonance. If you enjoy dark, character-driven stories that mix psychological depth with supernatural hints, this is a book worth reading.
Crone blends gritty crime, emotional trauma, and slow-burn supernatural horror, creating a story where the past and present collide, and nothing is quite what it seems.
What stood out for me was the emotional weight and the lingering atmosphere. Eli and Avery aren’t just plot vehicles, they feel authentically damaged. Eli’s grief and addiction are portrayed realistically, never glamorized, and Avery carries quiet but convincing trauma. The horror resonates because it’s rooted in real emotional pain, not just monsters. I also appreciated the blend of crime mystery with supernatural elements: the detective framework drives the story forward, while the hints of the uncanny destabilize it in a satisfying way.
Rosson avoids over-explaining the horror, leaving ambiguity that makes the story more disturbing, though some readers might find it frustrating. While some story elements like a missing child, troubled detective, and haunted woods aren’t entirely original, what makes the book feel fresh is the execution, not the premise.
Overall, Crone works best as a slow-burn, atmospheric novel. It lingers under your skin, not with flashy scares, but through mood, tension, and emotional resonance. If you enjoy dark, character-driven stories that mix psychological depth with supernatural hints, this is a book worth reading.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Wow. So, I love how Keith Rosson writes books that feel like supernatural Sons of Anarchy. Like you know that one scene in the kitchen with Gemma? Yeah, it feels like that.
Hannah is (mostly) blind, and she and her friend Avery leave a party, and they’re walking down the highway in the rain. Hannah doesn’t want to walk anymore- and a van stops- she tries to convince Avery to jump in- but Avery hesitates, and Hannah gets pulled in. That’s the last time anyone saw Hannah, and her druggie dad who used to be a cop is willing to burn the world down to find her- but he’s in deep with the biker drug lords of Oregon and no one seems to have any leads. It isn’t until the leader of the Broken Wheel’s son is killed and his remained corpse starts walking through the woods that everyone starts to realize it’s all coming down around them- and no one is safe.
I just LOVE reading a book by Rosson. He’s highly descriptive, gritty, and dark. It feels like watching a movie in your brain. Everyone is a villain, and you find yourself trying to figure out who to be angry at in an impossibly cruel world. I could smell the dirt, see the dreams, feel the in-between. This is what books should be, fully immersive and packed with emotion.
This one is The VVitch x SOA.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the privilege of reading this ARC in exchange for an honest review
Hannah is (mostly) blind, and she and her friend Avery leave a party, and they’re walking down the highway in the rain. Hannah doesn’t want to walk anymore- and a van stops- she tries to convince Avery to jump in- but Avery hesitates, and Hannah gets pulled in. That’s the last time anyone saw Hannah, and her druggie dad who used to be a cop is willing to burn the world down to find her- but he’s in deep with the biker drug lords of Oregon and no one seems to have any leads. It isn’t until the leader of the Broken Wheel’s son is killed and his remained corpse starts walking through the woods that everyone starts to realize it’s all coming down around them- and no one is safe.
I just LOVE reading a book by Rosson. He’s highly descriptive, gritty, and dark. It feels like watching a movie in your brain. Everyone is a villain, and you find yourself trying to figure out who to be angry at in an impossibly cruel world. I could smell the dirt, see the dreams, feel the in-between. This is what books should be, fully immersive and packed with emotion.
This one is The VVitch x SOA.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the privilege of reading this ARC in exchange for an honest review
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